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Falcons Fall After Seeing Muir Trail : Football: Crescenta Valley takes lead on 95-yard run before succumbing, 17-7.

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TIMES STAFF WRITER

In the long run, Chris Hedrick’s 95-yard touchdown dash was about all Crescenta Valley High could muster in Friday night’s 17-7 Pacific League loss to Muir at Pasadena City College.

Hedrick’s burst up the middle gave Crescenta Valley a 7-0 first-quarter lead and raised hopes for the Falcons’ first victory over Muir in 16 years.

But Muir (4-2, 1-0), despite five turnovers, pounded away with seven ballcarriers and piled up 365 yards while limiting Crescenta Valley to 100.

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Even more impressive, the Mustangs played the second half without tailback Shaun Haslip, the team’s leading rusher, who left in the second quarter with a sprained left ankle.

In Haslip’s place, junior Charles Dunn rushed for a game-high 130 yards in six carries, including a 90-yard touchdown run in the third quarter that snapped a 7-7 tie.

But for Crescenta Valley (5-1, 0-1), the inability to capitalize told the story. “They played defense,” Falcon Coach Alan Eberhart said.

Muir sacked quarterback John Watts seven times for minus-48 yards, forcing two fumbles. Watts completed only four of 13 for 13 yards.

Hedrick, who scored his 15th touchdown of the season, finished with 126 yards in 14 carries. Hedrick’s second-longest run went for eight yards.

“We tried our best,” Hedrick said. “This is the level we want to play at.”

Muir fumbled twice to end first-quarter drives. Haslip coughed up the ball at the Crescenta Valley 31-yard line on the Mustangs’ opening drive and Mario Mendoza recovered.

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Muir’s second drive failed at the Falcon five-yard line when linebacker Rocky Barbaro stripped the ball from quarterback Jeremy Bonwell. That set the stage for Hedrick’s 95-yard charge.

Muir evened the score early in the second quarter on a one-yard sneak by Bonwell.

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